Civil engineering compartmented roller

Abstract

A roller for compacting a subsurface, in particular for road building, comprising a roller body with a central axis. The roller body is made up of a plurality of compartments ( 2 ), the compartments ( 2 ) being provided distributed in the circumferential direction around the central axis. In particular, each compartment ( 2 ) comprises at least one fluid chamber ( 3 ). More particularly, the fluid chambers ( 3 ) in the compartments ( 2 ) are in flow communication.

1. A roller for compacting a subsurface, in particular for road building, comprising:
 a roller body with a central axis; 
 in which the roller body is made up of a plurality of compartments, the compartments being provided distributed in the circumferential direction around the central axis, in which each compartment comprises at least one fluid chamber, in which the fluid chambers in the compartments are in flow communication with each other, 
 wherein, pumping means are provided for pumping fluid between the fluid chambers in the compartments, in which a control unit is provided, which control unit is equipped for pumping fluid from a fluid chamber in a compartment which at that moment is lying behind relative to the envisaged roller direction to a fluid chamber in a compartment which at that moment is lying in front relative to the envisaged roller direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The roller according to  claim 1 , further comprising drive means for propelling the roller, wherein the drive means are accommodated in the roller body. 
     
     
       3. The roller according to  claim 1 , wherein the roller body in the axial direction comprises a plurality of compartment segments lying adjacent to each other. 
     
     
       4. The roller according to  claim 3 , further comprising a control unit, which control unit is equipped for pumping fluid during operation from a fluid chamber in the one compartment segment to a fluid chamber in a compartment segment situated laterally relative thereto. 
     
     
       5. The roller according to  claim 2 , wherein each compartment comprises an external fluid connection. 
     
     
       6. The roller according to  claim 1 , wherein the compartments are of a design with the shape of a sector of a circle, viewed in cross section. 
     
     
       7. The roller according to  claim 6 , wherein the sector shaped compartments are truncated. 
     
     
       8. The roller according to  claim 1 , wherein the compartments together bound an outer circumferential surface which is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
       9. The roller according to  claim 1 , wherein the compartments together bound an outer circumferential surface which comprises non-round parts, in particular flattened parts. 
     
     
       10. The roller according to  claim 1 , wherein the compartments are fitted distributed in such a way as to be contiguous in the circumferential direction around the central axis. 
     
     
       11. The roller according to  claim 1 , wherein the assembly of compartments has an external diameter of at least 3 meters. 
     
     
       12. The roller according to  claim 1 , wherein the compartments are of the same shape. 
     
     
       13. The roller according to  claim 1 , wherein the assembly of compartments forms an elongated roller body. 
     
     
       14. The roller according to  claim 1 , wherein the compartments are detachably connected to each other. 
     
     
       15. A method for the use of a roller according to  claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
 transporting the compartments to a desired site; 
 propelling the assembly of compartments over the subsurface to be worked; and 
 filling one or more of the compartments with a fluid, in which the step of propelling is supported at least by means of pumping fluid from the one compartment to the other compartment. 
 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the fluid is water. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the step of transporting is carried out with disassembled compartments, which compartments are assembled to form the roller body after reaching the desired site.